Stage Paint
by Topaz Fox
Summary: On a perfectly ordinary day, Larxene sees that there's more to a certain pyro than meets the eye.


(Hey everyone! Topaz here. This is my big Story Number 20! For it, I have selected a classic pairing (in my book, anyways): Axel and Larxene. Man, I love those two! This story was inspired by Yellowcard's "Rough Landing, Holly", a very late night, and chocolate pudding. Well...there's not much else to say other than enjoy!)

(**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything Kingdom Hearts. Period.)

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I _hate _it when he gets like this. All happy and energetic and bouncy. He's totally out of character, like he's drunk or something. I thought we weren't even supposed to _have _feelings, yet somehow, there's always fireworks going off in that guy.

Just yesterday--well, I _think _it was yesterday--he had come back from somewhere doing some mission, and for some reason he was all _cheery_. It makes me sick just remembering it. I was alone reading a magazine, almost satisfied for once, and then he threw open the door, bounded in and flopped down on the couch. I mean, come on! The nerve of some people!

Miraculously, he was quiet for almost a whole minute. Then that easy drawl of his sounded off, ominously full of giddiness. "What're you doing, Larxene?"

I distinctly remember twitching with anger. Yes, _twitching_, as in _physical movement_. That's how much he pisses me off. "Go away," I growled. Do you know what he did then? He _laughed_! Of all the things--

Pushing me even further, he said, "Why're you so grouchy and uptight all the time?"

I'm pretty sure at this point you could see the veins popping out of my head. "Axel, go _away_." But he kept right on badgering me, the twerp. "Are you hungry? Are you PMS?" he taunted. Before I had time to jump up and kill him, he said, "Does it have to do with your real half?"

Something in those words cooled me down. He had no idea that he had…guessed. I'm not one to suddenly go all soft and sensitive but the visions--the sights of what I knew had been--

I thought about telling him, but remained silent.

He filled in for my lack of words. "I guess it's common knowledge that Vexen used to be a scientist. You know, when he was human. He's still pretty science-y, don't you think? And the Superior…I hear that his human life was spent as a disgruntled apprentice of some sort. That explains why he's so obsessed with bossing us around."

I said nothing, only turning around to face him. When I saw that explosive wave of red hair, that self-satisfied smile, and those eyes that were like glass windows into a world of greenest acid, I…

Well, for the first time, I kind of felt under someone's control.

He continued, "And me, too. Some people think I come across as cocky. Know why?" He paused long enough to grin. "My guess is it'd be because I used to be a famous actor."

_Now _it made sense. I always thought he was just egotistical and a _very _good liar. And all that silly makeup he wears around his eyes? _Stage paint. _Why didn't I--

Wait. Why do I even care about this guy? He's a sniveling little traitorous man-bitch. With a superiority complex.

For some reason, though, I wanted to tell him all about the life I knew I had lived, and all the stuff I had seen happen over and over in my dreams. But I didn't. I kept my mouth shut.

Somehow, under that thick skull of his, he seemed to get that he had hit something deep. He suddenly became very soft and sympathetic-looking. His posture relaxed, and he wouldn't take his gaze from mine. And those acid eyes of his?

They turned into the sweetest meadows of cool grass I'd ever seen.

"Larxene," he said quietly, "you know I'm always here for you if you want to talk."

I touched my cheek and was stunned--_shocked to the core_--to find that it was wet. After a while, I finally found my voice and whispered, "…Thank…thanks."

And then? I couldn't stand it anymore. Without saying another word, I just got up and left. But before I even got out the door, do you know what he did?

He laughed. But it was a different laugh than before. Understanding, kind…perhaps even fond.

The _nerve _of some people.

--Fin--


End file.
